1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to an apparatus for inverting a container such as that which may be mounted on a refuse collection vehicle for inverting and dumping the contents into a chamber within the vehicle and, more specifically, to such an inverting apparatus which cooperates with a pair of pins extending from the container for locking the pins during the inverting process to enhance the safety of the inverting operation.
2. Prior Art
The simple process of inverting a container, such as for dumping the contents thereof into a receptacle, can be very difficult, if not impossible, to accomplish manually, particularly when the containers are large and cumbersome. Manually inverting a container such as for the purpose of emptying refuse or other material within the container into a receptacle such as the chamber of a refuse truck, for example, can become virtually impossible to do manually when the weight of the container is greater than the weight which one or two persons can easily handle. This problem is further exacerbated, when it must be repeated often, such as in the case of widely distributed refuse containers being inverted for dumping their contents into the chamber of a refuse collection vehicle. While it has become expedient for both user and collector to utilize large containers, such as those having a capacity up to two cubic yards, inverting such large containers has made the development of machines for carrying out the inverting process, virtually mandatory. Where such machines are used on vehicles, such as in the case of refuse collection trucks, and the like, they must be capable of easily and repetitiously handling such containers in an expedient and efficient manner, without adding substantially to the weight and cost of the vehicle. Furthermore, such machines, particularly those that are mounted on vehicles for purposes of collecting refuse for example, must be capable of operating with relatively simple container structures so as not to require complex and costly containers which also add to the cost of the refuse collection process. Still another critical requirement for such container inverting machines is that of safety. Safety is of particular concern in those cases where a large, heavy container is being both inverted and elevated simultaneously in order to bring the open top of the container its communication with a receiving chamber, such as the interior of a refuse collection truck. If a container is dropped during the process of inverting and elevating it, it could result in serious bodily injury and property damage including damage to the collecting vehicle and the container itself.
While there have been a number of prior art container inverting systems developed for the refuse collection industry, all those known to the applicant herein suffer from one or more disadvantages. Thus, for example, some of such prior art inverting systems are too complex, and thus too costly. Others suffer from the disadvantage of being too slow and inefficient, thereby also increasing the cost of the overall refuse collection effort. Some, for example, require that the vehicle be maneuvered into a special position relative to the container in order to initiate a container grasping or hooking function before the inverting operation can commence. Others require the use of more than one person to compensate for the inadequacies of the inverting machine. Such a requirement for additional personnel also significantly increases the cost of the collection process. However, the most significant disadvantage of the prior art, particularly in regard to rear vehicle-mounted inverting systems, is the lack of a positive interlocking relationship between the inverting system and the container during the inverting process. Such prior art systems thus do not adequately alleviate the critical safety concerns previously described.
There has therefore been a long-felt need for a container inverting apparatus which solves the previously noted deficiencies of the prior art. More specifically, there is in particular a need for a container inverting apparatus that may be readily utilized on a vehicle such as a refuse collection vehicle and which is of simple and low cost structure, which can be easily operated by one person in an efficient manner, which does not require exotic and therefore expensive container structures and which, perhaps most importantly, provides a positive safety interlock between container and inverting apparatus any time a container is more than a few inches above the ground, thereby precluding virtually any possibility of a falling or swinging container that might otherwise result in injury or property damage.